If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Service with horizontal racket

Hi,
1. I wanted to ask that is it allowed while serving from right box to stand in the right most corner and serving. Just to mention that during this service the racket of the server is out of the service box.
2. Second question is regarding the angle of racket, although the racket is pointing downward while serving but service is such that it flies over the left box into the bottom left corner of the right box.

I had objected on this serve during the tournament but couldn't find any rules regarding this type of service. an answer would be highly appreciated

i guess you've never encountered this type of unusual serve before...
the best way to receive and counter it, is to reverse your footing, stand back 6 inches and face towards the server with your racket up at head level using backhand grip. aim to return the service to the right net area with your backhand.

reverse footing means if you're right handed, then have the right foot forward.

the opposite goes for left handed receiver facing a left handed unorthodox server in the left service box.

Hi,
1. I wanted to ask that is it allowed while serving from right box to stand in the right most corner and serving. Just to mention that during this service the racket of the server is out of the service box.

Perfectly legal as only the feet have to be in the service box. If you watch pros you'll see many of them lean forward so make contact with the shuttle outside the box.

Originally Posted by somesimple

2. Second question is regarding the angle of racket, although the racket is pointing downward while serving but service is such that it flies over the left box into the bottom left corner of the right box.

It does not matter where the shuttle travels as long as it lands in the opposite service box.

Originally Posted by somesimple

I had objected on this serve during the tournament but couldn't find any rules regarding this type of service. an answer would be highly appreciated

You won't because there are no rules against it.

As a note, these are pretty easy to play against. It leaves the server way out of position and a well placed drop or drive has his team in trouble. This type of serve is also typically only used by beginners or against beginners. There is a reason you'll never see pros use this serve and almost never see even intermediate players use it... by that point they've all learned how weak the serve is and how to effectively counter it.

i guess you've never encountered this type of unusual serve before...
the best way to receive and counter it, is to reverse your footing, stand back 6 inches and face towards the server with your racket up at head level using backhand grip. aim to return the service to the right net area with your backhand.

Thanks for the tips Visor. I've got a friend who serves like that and I've been struggling to return it. I'll give it a try later in the game.

Yeah, I, like many, had a lot of issues with these and a lot of other odd serves before, when I had never encountered them or gotten used to them. Another one I had issue with were drive serves, particularly from people who stood a little bit back to get a better angle.

However, I solved the issue mainly by improving on two aspects of serve return: hand placement and angle cutoff. Speed is also a factor, but I feel that speed is a more gradual improvement process.

Hand placement:

To defend against serves that come at odd angles, particularly ones that either attack your face or backhand, the first way to make life easier is to put your racket closer to where they are likely to attack. If your racket is in front of your face, slightly to the backhand side, you can either:

(a) Turn your racket hand quickly to backhand, cut off the serve angle, aim for the shuttle, and simply push slightly forward and drop it.
(b) Swing your racket over and "behind" your head to do an "around the head" shot.

In both cases if your racket is placed near the area of attack you won't have to move your racket too much, saving time and effort. Later on, you can also alter the shots to clears, cross drops, etc.

Advantage of (a): Easy to learn, and the faster they drive it, the faster you drop it back to their side, reversing the advtange. The only downside is that this shot is easier to read (not a lot of backswing room, so they can see it's a drop), but since you should get it over quickly anyways, it's still good. Cuts off the bird early too, and is easier than (b).

Advantage of (b): More swing room than (a), more potential for power.

Angle Cutoff (Foot placement)

As mentioned above, you can switch your feet so you can reach all the possible angles of their serve. However, another tactic is simply to take a step (or half, or two, depending on your leg length, ) back and make sure you are close to the center line. What does this do? If they try to attack your backhand, you have the angle and space to cut off the shot before it jams your backhand by getting too close to you or getting behind you. If they still try to serve short (either to the middle or cross), you are only an extra step (or so) away, and you shouldn't lose too much (if any) time to get to those serves as well.

The important thing to learn from this is that similar to most sports in defense, it is advisable to adapt to the attacker by making sure you can EQUALLY access the areas they will attack. If they shift one way, you shift slightly that way as well, making sure they can't exploit your angles.

In any case, good luck adapting to it! Also, I hope you get to learn that serve tactic as well, it's always kind of fun to pull it on someone new every once in a while just to teach them about angles.